


Change for the Better

by GretchenSinister



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-17
Updated: 2019-03-17
Packaged: 2019-11-19 14:40:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18137060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GretchenSinister/pseuds/GretchenSinister
Summary: Original Prompt: "So what if, instead of just writing him off, the Guardians genuinely thought he didn’t want to be bothered? I mean, they’re all very busy people, so if they didn’t think he wanted to be bothered they don’t exactly have time to go winning him over and being where they (seemingly) aren’t wanted.Why would they think this? Well, from what’s known about Jack’s pre-movie time is that he spent a lot of time alone, caused trouble, and was always travelling. He caused a blizzard that messed with Easter (and killed people), makes it snow whenever he wants, and generally doesn’t act like the type who wants to make friends.Jack finds this out and is hurt/angry they didn’t try. The Guardians point out that they’re all busy - and none of them are mindreaders."Jack and Bunny talk out some miscommunication, good thing Bunny’s the Guardian of Hope.





	Change for the Better

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on Tumblr on 9/17/2014.

“Hey Bunny,” Jack says, causing said Bunny to jump about six feet into the air and whirl to face him.  
  
“Jack,” Bunny says as soon as Jack’s stopped laughing at the unreasonable response to his perfectly reasonable greeting, “What are you doing visiting the Warren?”  
  
“Am I not supposed to?”  
  
Bunny shakes his head and takes a few more deep breaths to calm down. “No, no, it’s nothing like that, it’s just–but I must be forgetting myself. Where’s the trouble? Do we need everyone right away or should we go as a team of two right now?”  
  
“Huh?” Jack climbs down from his staff in puzzlement. “What are you talking about, Bunny? There isn’t any trouble.”  
  
“Then–well, all right. Back to the first question. Why are you visiting the Warren?”  
  
“Do I need a reason? After all, it’s been over a month since we last saw each other, and that was all business business business–we barely celebrated at all when I became a Guardian, and I kind of thought…well…” Jack trails off.  
  
“But we had the ceremony, and then there was a lot of stuff to put right, and…and it’s only been a month, Jack, seriously.”  
  
“Only a month?” Jack repeats.  
  
“Well, yeah. And I’m really surprised that you’re the one bringing this up. Sure, Sandy might have talked about meeting every full moon, but the rest of us knew that would just end up crowding you. And if we weren’t working against a common enemy–I don’t know, Jack, do you really think we’d be able to keep up any camaraderie? North’s pushing it, really, with how he wants to have a Christmas party.” Bunny shrugs. “But if we fight I suppose we have all the time in the world to get over it.”  
  
“Wait. Stop. Back up. Are you saying you’ve been staying apart because of  _me_?”  
  
“Well, we at least owe you that after all these years.”  
  
“Owe? What? Why do you owe me more…more…loneliness?” Jack frowns and crouches, wrapping his arms around his knees.  
  
Bunny follows him down, a frown on his own face. “I think there’s been a bit of a mix-up, here,” he says. “I’ll explain myself first, to give you time to think of what you want to say,” he goes on after catching the glitter at the edges of Jack’s eyes.  
  
“All of us Guardians are pretty solitary, yeah? We don’t often meet and you could probably tell when we brought you in that we liked it that way. Maybe it’s our natures. That’s what I always thought, and so we guessed it would be the same for you. Even before you were a Guardian, you mostly stayed away from us, and winter seems like it would keep you pretty busy anyway.  
  
"Now, we just didn’t want to treat you like you needed a bunch of help being a Guardian or like you were as young as you look, so we’ve kept our distance. And we also didn’t want to ruin what friendship we had managed to shore up. So. That’s what I have to say about that.”  
  
Jack takes a deep breath. “I…that’s just…that’s really, really wrong. At least when it comes to me.”  
  
“Yeah, I was starting to cotton to that,” Bunny says.  
  
“I…I don’t even know where to begin.”  
  
“Not at the beginning?” Bunny suggests. “How about now?”  
  
“But,” Jack stops and gulps, “but there are things I need to say, and if you’re solitary should I even be saying them to you? And should I go? Do you want me to?” He stands, worrying the staff between his hands.  
  
“Don’t get splinters,” Bunny says, rising in turn. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to listen to everything you have to say at once, but you can take your time. I’ve got some work to do, but you can stick around as long as you don’t freeze anything.”  
  
“Really?”  
  
“Well, why not?” Bunny smiles. “I don’t want you to end up not feeling like a Guardian. You were such a pain the arse then. And, if we’re solitary now—well, I know better than anyone that change can be for the better.”

**Author's Note:**

> Comments from Tumblr:
> 
> bowlingforgerbils said: Awww. It always makes me sad to think that the Guardians don’t hang out on a regular basis.


End file.
